"to refer to the members of the Swiss Confederacy. English use of ""canton"" in reference to the Swiss Confederacy (as opposed to the heraldic sense) dates to the early 17th century. In the Old Swiss Confederacy, the term ""Ort"" (plural: ""Orte"") was in use from the early 15th century as a generic term for the member cantons. The founding cantons specifically were also known as ""Waldstätte"" ""forest settlements"", ""forest cantons"" (singular: ""Waldstatt""). The formulaic ' for the members of the early confederacy is recorded in the mid-14th century, used interchangeably with ' (""cities and lands"", ""city cantons and rural cantons"")"
"Subdivisions of Switzerland The Swiss Confederation comprises the 26 cantons of Switzerland. Each canton has its individual structure for further subdivisions. For statistical purposes, Switzerland is subdivided into seven regions at the NUTS-2 level: The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia (1648) until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848. Each canton has its own constitution, legislature, government and courts. Most of the cantons' legislatures are unicameral parliaments, their size varying"
"The Federal Council and the Federal Assembly can supplement the proposed amendment with a counter-proposal, and then voters must indicate a preference on the ballot in case both proposals are accepted. Constitutional amendments, whether introduced by initiative or in parliament, must be accepted by a double majority of the national popular vote and the cantonal popular votes. The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons: <nowiki>*</nowiki> The cantons are federated states, have a permanent constitutional status and, in comparison with the situation in other countries, a high degree of independence. Under the Federal Constitution, all 26 cantons are equal in status,"
"cantons, and depending on the result of the election on 20 October, a second round or runoff election may be required, typically during November 2019. The 200 members of the National Council are elected from 26 constituencies, which are the 26 cantons. Six cantons are single-member constituencies in which seats are elected by first-past-the-post voting; the remaining 20 cantons each forms a multi-member constituency, in which members are elected by open list proportional representation; voters can cross out names on party lists, split their vote between parties (a system known as panachage) or draw up their own list on a"
"Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a country in Europe. It consists of 26 cantons, and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities. The sovereign state is a federal republic situated in western, central and southern Europe, and is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning a total area of (land area ). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the"
"the Chasselas (called Fendant in Valais) and Pinot noir. The Merlot is the main variety produced in Ticino. Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a country in Europe. It consists of 26 cantons, and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities. The sovereign state is a federal republic situated in western, central and southern Europe, and is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning"
"abandoned the use of the term ""half-canton"" as an official designation, so that the official number of cantons became 26 - the former half-cantons being now referred to as ""cantons with half a cantonal vote"" officially, even though they are still commonly referred to as"" half-cantons"". With the exception of Lucerne, Schwyz and Ticino, the cantonal flags are simply transposed versions of the cantonal coats of arms. In case of Lucerne and Ticino, whose flags consist of fields of different colours divided per fess (horizontally), the coats of arms are of the same colours divided per pale (vertically). The coat"
"between fifty-eight and two hundred seats. A few legislatures are general assemblies known as ""Landsgemeinden"". The cantonal governments consist of either five or seven members, depending on the canton. For the names of the institutions, see List of legislative and executive councils of the Cantons of Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Constitution declares the cantons to be sovereign to the extent their sovereignty is not limited by federal law. The cantons also retain all powers and competencies not delegated to the Confederation by the Constitution. Most significantly, the cantons are responsible for healthcare, welfare, law enforcement and public education; they also"
"the number of cantons drastically. This law came into effect at the French departmental elections in March 2015. Before the cantonal reform, there were 4,032 cantons. The 2013 reform law also changed the representation of the cantons in the departmental councils: each canton is now represented by a man and a woman. The number of ""cantons"" varies from one ""département"" to another; the Territoire de Belfort, for example, has 9, while Nord has 41. Cantons of France The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's arrondissements and departments. Apart from their role as organizational units in certain"
"group's ten countries on their 2017 list of The World's Ten Best Ethical Destinations includes Costa Rica. The country scored highest in environmental protection among the winners. Costa Rica began reversing deforestation in the 1990s, and they are moving towards using only renewable energy. Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces, which in turn are divided into 81 cantons (, plural ), each of which is directed by a mayor. Mayors are chosen democratically every four years by each canton. There are no provincial legislatures. The cantons are further divided into 473 districts (). The provinces are: Costa Rica is"
"Cantons of France The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's arrondissements and departments. Apart from their role as organizational units in certain aspects of the administration of public services and justice, the chief purpose of the cantons today is to serve as constituencies for the election of the members of the representative assembly (General Council) in each department. For this reason, such elections are known in France as ""cantonal elections"". As of 2018, there are 4,055 cantons (including 172 overseas) in France. Most of them group together some communes (the lowest administrative division of the French"
"admission of new cantons, any enlargement would, as a matter of Swiss law, require an amendment of the Swiss federal constitution and therefore a national popular referendum. A corresponding proposal was submitted by Jurassian representative Dominique Baettig in 2010, but was dropped after Baettig was not reelected in 2011. Switzerland, a multilingual federation of 26 cantons whose origins lie in a defensive alliance of alpine valleys around the end of the 13th century, grew through the accession of new states and territories during the 14th to 16th centuries. The accession of Appenzell in 1513 completed the growth of the Confederacy"
"For a constitutional law to pass, it has to obtain the support of the majority of the representatives and delegates in both chambers of the Federal parliament, including the majority of Croat and Bosniak delegates in the House of Peoples. Cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina The ten cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (, ; Serbian: Кантон), are the member states of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the two political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ten cantons were established by the Law on Federal Units (Cantons) on 12 June 1996. The"
"the period of 2002 to 2014, as follows: The preamble and the first title of the Constitution determine the general outlines of Switzerland as a democratic federal republic of 26 cantons governed by the rule of law. The preamble opens with a solemn invocation of God in continuance of Swiss constitutional tradition. It is a mandate to the State authorities by the Swiss people and cantons, as the Confederation's constituent powers, to adhere to the values listed in the preamble, which include ""liberty and democracy, independence and peace in solidarity and openness towards the world"". The latter provision about the"
"no legislative control over matters relating to the national interest, which reside solely with the Chamber of Deputies. Below this level, however, they have wide-ranging powers. The communes provide public education, maintain the local road network and other infrastructure, ensure basic public health, and provide most social security. Communes also have discretionary powers for comprehensive health care (including maintenance of hospitals and clinics) within their borders, land-use planning, funds for cultural activities, provision of care to the elderly, and providing a sufficient supply of water, gas, and electricity. There are currently 105 communes in the 12 cantons. The 12 communes"
"Cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina The ten cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (, ; Serbian: Кантон), are the member states of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the two political entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ten cantons were established by the Law on Federal Units (Cantons) on 12 June 1996. The cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina were created by the Law on Federal Units (Cantons) of 1996, which was based on the Bosniak-Croat Washington Agreement. The cantons consist of municipalities. A canton has its own government headed by"
"except that 6 (referred to often as the half-cantons) are represented by only one councillor (instead of two) in the Council of States and have only half a cantonal vote with respect to the required cantonal majority in referendums on constitutional amendments. Each canton has its own constitution, and its own parliament, government, police and courts. However, there are considerable differences between the individual cantons, most particularly in terms of population and geographical area. Their populations vary between 16,003 (Appenzell Innerrhoden) and 1,487,969 (Zürich), and their area between (Basel-Stadt) and (Graubünden). The cantons comprise a total of 2,222 municipalities as"
"Canton of Bern The canton of Bern or Berne (, ) is the second largest of the 26 Swiss cantons by both surface area and population. Located in west-central Switzerland, it borders the canton of Jura and the canton of Solothurn to the north. To the west lie the canton of Neuchâtel, the canton of Fribourg and canton of Vaud. To the south lies the canton of Valais. East of the canton of Bern lie the cantons of Uri, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Lucerne and Aargau. The canton of Bern is bilingual and has a population (as of ) of . ,"
"Quebec. The Autonomous Communities of Spain may demonstrate the doctrine although it is limited in its extent. The 26 Cantons of Switzerland demonstrate autonomism in a federal state. The Swiss Federal Constitution declares the cantons to be sovereign to the extent their sovereignty is not limited by federal law. The cantons also retain all powers and competencies not delegated to the Confederation by the Constitution. Autonomism (political doctrine) Autonomism is a political doctrine which supports acquiring or preserving political autonomy of a nation or a region. It is not necessarily opposed to federalism, and souverainism necessarily implies autonomism, but not"
"the canton of Schwyz. Six of the 26 cantons are traditionally, but no longer officially, called ""half-cantons"" (, , , ). In two instances (Basel and Appenzell) this was a consequence of a historic division, whilst in the case of Unterwalden a historic mutual association, resulting in three pairs of half-cantons. The other 20 cantons were — and in some instances still are — though only in a context where it is needed to distinguish them from any half-cantons, typically termed ""full"" cantons in English. The historic half-cantons, and their pairings, are still recognizable in the first article of the"
"Council of States (Switzerland) The Council of States (, , , ) is the smaller chamber of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, and is considered the Assembly's upper house, with the National Council being the lower house. There are 46 Councillors. Twenty of the country's cantons are represented by two Councillors each. Six cantons, traditionally called ""half cantons"", are represented by one Councillor each for historical reasons. These are Obwalden, Nidwalden, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden. The Councillors serve for four years, and are not bound in their vote to instructions from the cantonal authorities. Under the Swiss"
"that new cantons may only be created if they have at least one percent of the republic's total population, which was as of the last census (2011). The last new canton, Río Cuarto, was created on March 30, 2017. The largest canton by population is the capital San José with a population of . The smallest canton by population is Turrubares with residents. The largest canton by land area is San Carlos, which spans , while the smallest is Flores at . Each canton is controlled by a government unit called ""Municipalidad"". The term reflects the fact that the cantons"
"the police are divided into two sections: In German-speaking cantons, the police are divided into three sections: In Italian-speaking cantons, the police are divided into geographical areas. Cantonal police The cantonal police (, , , ) are the principal law enforcement agencies in each of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. Law enforcement in Switzerland is mainly a responsibility of the cantons, which each operate cantonal police agencies. Some cities also operate municipal police agencies as provided for by cantonal law. The federal government provides specialised services and is responsible for the protection of the Swiss border. The 26 cantonal police"
"Swiss Federal Constitution The Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation (SR 10, , , , ) of 18 April 1999 (SR 101) is the third and current federal constitution of Switzerland. It establishes the ""Swiss Confederation"" as a federal republic of 26 cantons (states). The document contains a catalogue of individual and popular rights (including the right to call for popular referenda on federal laws and constitutional amendments), delineates the responsibilities of the cantons and the Confederation and establishes the federal authorities of government. The Constitution was adopted by a referendum on 18 April 1999, in which a majority of"
"retain the power of taxation. The cantonal constitutions determine the degree of autonomy accorded to the municipalities, which varies but almost always includes the power to levy taxes and pass municipal laws. The sizes of the cantons vary from 37 km² to 7,105 km²; the populations vary from 15,471 to 1,244,400. In contrast to centrally organised states, in the federally constituted Switzerland each Canton is completely free to decide its own internal organisation. Therefore, there exists a variety of structures and terminology for the subnational entities between Canton and Municipality, loosely termed districts (i.e. Urban Administration Districts). Most Cantons are"
"the National Council are uniform across the Confederation. Only Swiss citizens aged at least 18 can stand or vote and the citizens resident abroad can register to vote in the canton last resided in (or their canton of citizenship, otherwise) and be able to vote no matter how long since, or whether they ever have, lived in Switzerland. The 46 members of the Council of States are elected in 20 two-seat constituencies (representing the 20 'full' cantons) and six single-member constituencies (representing the six half-cantons). Two 'full' cantons with small populations — Uri and Glarus — have therefore each two"
"this form of legislature has declined: at present it exists only in the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus. The cantonal executives consist of either five or seven members, depending on the canton. For the names of the institutions, see the list of cantonal executives and list of cantonal legislatures. The cantons retain all powers and competencies not delegated to the Confederation by the federal constitution or law: most significantly the cantons are responsible for healthcare, welfare, law enforcement, public education, and also the power of taxation. Each canton defines its official language(s). Cantons may conclude treaties not only with"
"Provinces of Argentina Argentina is subdivided into twenty-three provinces (, singular ""provincia"") and one autonomous city (""ciudad autónoma""), Buenos Aires, which is the federal capital of the nation () as decided by Congress. The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions, but exist under a federal system. During the War of Independence the main cities and their surrounding countrysides became provinces though the intervention of their ""cabildos"". The Anarchy of the Year XX completed this process, shaping the original thirteen provinces. Jujuy seceded from Salta in 1834, and the thirteen provinces became fourteen. After seceding for a decade, Buenos"
"Cantonal police The cantonal police (, , , ) are the principal law enforcement agencies in each of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. Law enforcement in Switzerland is mainly a responsibility of the cantons, which each operate cantonal police agencies. Some cities also operate municipal police agencies as provided for by cantonal law. The federal government provides specialised services and is responsible for the protection of the Swiss border. The 26 cantonal police agencies and numerous municipal police agencies are the backbone of Swiss law enforcement. They are not subordinate to federal authorities. Their commanding officers report to the head"
"Cantons of Costa Rica Costa Rica is administratively divided into seven provinces which are subdivided into 82 cantons, and these are further subdivided into districts. Cantons are the only administrative division in Costa Rica that possess local government in the form of municipalities. Each municipality has its own mayor and several representatives, all of them chosen via municipal elections every four years. The original 14 cantons were established in 1848, and the number has risen gradually by the division of existing cantons. Law no. 4366 of 19 August 1969, which outlines the creation of administrative divisions of Costa Rica, states"
"Preamble and Title 1 of the Swiss Federal Constitution The preamble and the first title of the Swiss Federal Constitution of 18 April 1999 determine the general outlines of Switzerland as a democratic federal republic of 26 cantons governed by the rule of law. The preamble to the Constitution states, in full: By opening with a solemn invocation of God, the preamble is in line with all preceding Swiss constitutional documents, back to the Federal Charter of 1291, except for the constitutions adopted under French sway in the time of the Helvetic Republic. Apart from continuing tradition, the ""invocatio dei"""
"Canton of Valais The canton of Valais (; ; , ) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland, situated in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is simultaneously one of the driest regions of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley and among the wettest, having large amounts of snow and rain up on the highest peaks found in Switzerland. The canton of Valais is widely known for the Matterhorn and resort towns such as Crans-Montana, Saas Fee,"
"a bill for decentralisation in the National Assembly. The subsequent debate turned up a variety of issues that first had to be addressed with changes to related laws. In an October 2010 conclave of the ruling AMP coalition, it was proposed to revise Article 226, which calls for the creation of 26 provinces out of the current 11, in order to allow more time for the transition. On 9 January 2015 the National Assembly passed a law on the new administrative divisions of the country, according to which new provinces should be installed in period of 12 months. Provinces of"